The ability to install Windows XP on a partition residing in an Intel based Mac opens up new software possibilities.
Once upon a time, running games on an Apple machine meant sitting in front of an Apple II and keying in dozens of lines of BASIC code just to run a text-based simulation of darts.
Even after DOS arrived, followed by Windows, Apple ignored the nascent gaming market. Pathways Into Darkness was fun, but one could find many more games for the PC world.
A few years ago, Apple began to embrace the video game industry. But far and away, the most impressive hardware platforms for gaming come from companies like Alienware, and those machines run Windows exclusively.
Fast forward to 2005. Apple has announced it will switch from the PowerPC platform to one provided by Intel. Developers at the Apple World Wide Developers Conference learned of the change first.
A recent article by Think Secret discusses the Intel-based Mac in some detail. The interesting point comes with the revelation that Windows XP can be installed on a NTFS partition and boot up without a problem, save a video card issue.
That issue initially kept Windows running at 800×600 resolution on a cinema display screen. Eventually, that was changed to 1600×1200, but XP would not take advantage of all that extra visual real estate.
If the video card problem proves to be a resolvable issue, there should be some interest from computer owners to place their preferred gaming environment alongside the Mac operating system.
Of course, those buyers will have to pick up their hardware from Apple. The Mac OS will not install on other Intel-based machines other than the hardware Apple builds. It will be some time, if ever, before OEMs get the go ahead to build an Intel Mac themselves.
David Utter is a staff writer for murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
